Recent photographs of the William Soler Pediatric Hospital in Boyeros, Havana, have surfaced on social media, revealing shocking conditions. The images show bathrooms with lidless toilets, wet floors covered in trash, rusted sinks, and debris-strewn service areas, all within Cuba's foremost pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery center.
The pictures, shared on Facebook by Julio Cesar Perez, sparked outrage with a poignant question: "What child would be safe in a hospital under these conditions?"
The photos capture the dire state of the hospital's sanitary facilities: cubicles lacking complete doors, deteriorating toilets, walls stained with moisture, and garbage scattered across cracked and blackened tiles. Sinks, once stainless steel, are now cloaked in rust and accumulated grime. Service areas appear neglected, with discarded items littering the floors.
Public Outcry Over Hospital Conditions
The online community reacted with anger and disbelief. "Why do hospitals have these conditions while luxury hotels are built and refurbished daily?" the post's author questioned. One user, recalling her childhood treatment at the hospital, expressed sadness at its decay: "My school hospital, where I was treated as a child, had excellent doctors; now it's total destruction." Another warned of health risks, questioning the hygiene standards: "How many types of bacteria and fungi have accumulated there? It's utterly disgusting." Another summed up a common fear: "That's why you go to the hospital for one illness and come out with ten."
Prioritizing Tourism Over Health Care
The stark contrast between investment in tourism and the neglect of public health was a common theme. "There's no money for this, but there's plenty for their good life and luxury hotels," one user commented. Others mocked the official narrative: "The achievements of Cuba's Medical Power," someone wrote sarcastically.
This deplorable situation is not new. Back in October 2025, patient families reported that William Soler Hospital was "completely collapsed," with overwhelmed emergency rooms, supply shortages, and such a severe staffing shortfall that only "two students and one doctor" were available in critical areas. During that time, two children tragically died from hemorrhagic dengue at the facility.
A Systemic Health Crisis
The decline of William Soler Hospital exemplifies a broader systemic health crisis that the regime has only partially acknowledged. In July 2025, Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda admitted to the National Assembly that only 30% of essential medications were available, and there was a "widespread deterioration of medical services." By April 2026, most essential drugs were unavailable in state pharmacies, according to international reports.
Similar complaints have been made about other hospitals during this period: Vladimir Ilich Lenin Hospital in Holguín with waterless bathrooms and broken toilets, Calixto García Hospital in Havana with a collapsed roof in November 2025, and Juan Bruno Zayas Hospital in Santiago de Cuba with sewage running under patient beds.
Just last June, the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces organized a propaganda event with children at William Soler, while the hospital remained in the decrepit condition now documented in the photographs. "From what it was to what it is today, it's very sad," one commenter lamented, summarizing the feelings of those who remember William Soler as a symbol of Cuban medicine.
Understanding the Crisis in Cuban Healthcare
What are the main issues highlighted at the William Soler Pediatric Hospital?
The main issues include unsanitary conditions such as lidless toilets, rusted sinks, wet floors covered with trash, and neglected service areas.
How has the public reacted to the state of the hospital?
The public has expressed outrage and concern over the hospital's conditions, criticizing the neglect of healthcare while resources are funneled into tourism projects.
What broader issues does this situation reveal about Cuban healthcare?
This situation reveals a systemic health crisis, characterized by a lack of essential medications, deteriorating medical facilities, and staffing shortages, which the government has only partially acknowledged.